Method for controlling a robot, and system

Abstract

A method for controlling a robot, in which a force and/or movement of a user is transferred to at least one actuated segment of the robot and is detected by the robot in order to control a solid in a fluid, wherein the force and/or movement of the user is transferred to the solid, wherein the actuated segment generates a movement and/or force in dependence of the solid as haptic feed-back, and wherein, in order to determine the force generated by the actuated segment, a fluid force vector is determined which includes the influence of the fluid on the solid, and a solid force vector is determined which includes the influence of the solid.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a robot, the method comprising:
 detecting at least one of a force or a movement of one or more limbs of a user by at least one actuated segment of the robot to control at least one of a real or virtual solid in a fluid, at least one of the force or the movement of the user being transferred to the solid;   determining movement parameters from the detected force or movement of the user limb, wherein the movement parameters comprise at least one of position, velocity, and orientation of the limb;   determining a characteristic length of the user limb using the movement parameters;   using an application parameter, determining a total fluid force, wherein the application parameter includes only a viscosity of the fluid;   using the total fluid force, the movement parameters, and the characteristic length, determining a direction of action of the total fluid force on each of the one or more limbs;   using the total fluid force, determining a proportionate force distribution to each of the one or more limbs;   using the direction of action of the total fluid force on each of the one or more limbs, the proportionate force distribution to each of the one or more limbs, and an influence of the fluid on the solid, determining a fluid force vector transferred to each of the one or more limbs;   using an influence of the solid, determining a solid force vector;   combining the solid force vector and the fluid force vector as a haptic feedback force; and   transferring the haptic feedback force to the one or more limbs via the at least one actuated segment of the robot;   wherein the actuated segment generates at least one of a movement or force in dependence on the solid.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid force vector and the solid force vector are determined using a same detection rate of more than 500 Hz. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , in which the robot detects at least one of a plurality of forces or movements of at least one of a plurality of fingers and at least one palm or arm of the user for transfer to the solid and transfers the at least one of the plurality of forces or movements as haptic feedback to the plurality of fingers and at least one palm or arm in dependence on the solid. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , in which, for each finger, the robot detects at least one of the position or velocity or orientation as movement parameters. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , in which a characteristic length is determined from the movement parameters for each finger. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the total fluid force is transferred directly to a palm or an arm of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , in which the solid force vector acts exclusively on individual fingers of the user. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , in which a vibration is generated by the robot for transfer to the limbs of the user for haptic simulation of granulates or solid-liquid mixtures. 
     
     
         9 . A system for detecting and transferring at least one of a force or a movement, comprising:
 a robot, including a 6-axis robot arm and the at least one actuated segment;   at least one connection endpoint disposed between the at least one actuated segment and the at least one limb of the user, so that at least one of a force or movement of the user is transferred to the robot, and vice versa; and   a control device connected with the robot, wherein the control device is configured to perform the method according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one actuated segment comprises at least one of a position detector and a force detector. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one limb of the user comprises at least one finger connected with the at least one actuated segment via the connection endpoint. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the robot comprises an exoskeleton for connection with the hand of the user, and the exoskeleton comprises the at least one actuated segment. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one actuated segment comprises a plurality actuated segments, and at least one of the plurality of actuated segments of the robot is connected with a finger of the user and at least one of the plurality of actuated segments of the robot is connected with an arm or a palm of the user to detect the position of the arm or the palm relative to the fingers and to detect at least one of a force or movement of the finger and the arm or palm. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one segment comprises a position detector and a force detector. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein each actuated segment comprises a position detector and a force detector. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein each finger of a user's hand is respectively connected with an actuated segment.